A native of the North East, Stuart Cottee is Deloitte's new practice senior partner for Yorkshire and the North East. Here he talks about his life and career.
How do you feel about your new role at Deloitte, and what are your plans for the business?
I’m very proud to be practice senior partner. It’s the first time someone from the North East has been in that role at Deloitte. It’s also the first time that a tax partner has been made practice senior partner for this region, so it’s a double honour. There are around 700 people employed across our Newcastle and Leeds offices, and it’s a privilege for me to be leading such a talented group of people. We already have a fantastic business with market leading offerings, but I’m confident that we can accelerate the growth of our practice in the next 5 years and I have a clear strategy to achieve this. This will provide even greater opportunity for our people to develop and pursue their careers in our region.
How would you describe your leadership style?
We already have a fantastic business with market leading offerings, but I'm confident that we can accelerate the growth of our practice in the next 5 years and I have a clear strategy to achieve this.
Stuart Cottee, Deloitte North East I’m very down to earth. I believe in being honest and straight with people. I like spending time with the team and will always do my best for them. It’s just the way I am. There are a lot of very bright people here, and my goal is to provide them with challenging work and good mentoring so they can develop quickly and be as good as they can be.
Is that team ethic something you’ve always had?
Yes, ever since I was a boy. I was a competitive swimmer as a youngster, which taught me the importance of teamwork. The camaraderie you build up through training and competing with the same people on a daily basis helps you understand how important it is to work together to achieve your goals.
What was your childhood like? Were you an over-achiever?
I grew up in Hetton, a mining town. My dad was the first male in our family that wasn’t a miner and he and my mam were keen that we kept out of trouble and that we did our best at school. I owe them a lot. What I definitely did have, even as a kid, was a drive to get on and do well for myself. I had a sense of entrepreneurship, even if that was just a paper round to earn money or selling sweets at school that I’d acquired from a local wholesaler. Sports particularly swimming gave me a competitive streak. It also kept me off the streets by giving me a purpose and instilling discipline.
How did you end up in the world of finance?
I studied accounting finance at Warwick University. That led to a job at what was then Arthur Andersen UK, which was later taken over by Deloitte. Arthur Andersen employed a very diverse group of people from very different backgrounds. What they had in common was drive and a hunger to succeed. I liked that.
Outside of work, what do you enjoy?
My working days can be very long, so when I’m not working I like to spend time with my family. We have six daughters aged 7 to 18, and we enjoy doing adventurous things together as a family. We’ve been to places like Machu Pichu and the Galapagos Islands, and we’ve trekked through the jungles of Costa Rica. I like sport, particularly cycling and golf, but I’d like to do more thrill-seeking things, such as cycling in the Atlas Mountains or in Colombia. I like a challenge.
So what’s the next personal challenge?
I’ll be heading to Namibia later this year with colleagues from Deloitte, which will include walking across the world’s oldest desert. It’s part of our One Million Futures strategy, which aims to support a million people to get to where they want to be.
